The first trimester takes you through to week 13. Our step-by step guide takes you through what to expect at each step.
You are now 3 weeks pregnant, counted from the beginning of your last period, even though only 7 days have passed since your baby was conceived. This is the week before the woman's next period would have been due (or the beginning of week 4). The blastocyst fully embeds or implants into the lining of the woman's womb (called the endometrium). The whole implantation process takes about 6 days to complete (finishing about 12 days after fertilisation, or about 2 days before the woman's next period would have been due). Once the blastocyst is fully implanted, the baby is able to 'tap into' their mother's blood supply.
As baby and mother unite, the baby produces hormones that prevent the woman's next period from coming, the same hormones that cause a pregnancy test to turn positive (called 'human gonadotrophin hormone' or 'HCG'). In turn, the mother's blood stream starts to provide the baby with nourishment to continue to grow. Up until this time your baby has been nourished by glucose secreted from the lining of the fallopian tubes and uterus.
While implantation cannot usually be felt, some women experience a small amount of bleeding as their baby burrows into the thick lining of the uterus. An implantation bleed can be noticed around the time the woman's next period would have been due, often confusing this bleeding with having a menstrual period.
The changing blastocyst is like a ball, about 4mm in width. Inside the ball, your baby's cells clump together on one side, continuing to multiply and differentiate, then making a linear formation. This line up of cells creates a flat disc with 3 distinct layers, called the:
For many women, this amazing process is all happening undetected, because they do not realise they are pregnant yet (but a few might suspect it!).
Common symptoms to look out for
- Up the protein
Your baby will need extra protein to help it grow, so try and make sure you get three servings of protein a day in these first few weeks.
- Make sure you’re getting enough calcium
It might seem obvious, but if you’re not getting enough calcium in your diet when you’re pregnant, your baby will start taking it from your bones! Now’s the time to up the intake – foods like Greek or frozen yoghurt will help, yet if you’re still struggling, it might be worth looking for a calcium supplement.
You are now 3 weeks pregnant, counted from the beginning of your last period, even though only 7 days have passed since your baby was conceived. This is the week before the woman's next period would have been due (or the beginning of week 4). The blastocyst fully embeds or implants into the lining of the woman's womb (called the endometrium). The whole implantation process takes about 6 days to complete (finishing about 12 days after fertilisation, or about 2 days before the woman's next period would have been due). Once the blastocyst is fully implanted, the baby is able to 'tap into' their mother's blood supply.
As baby and mother unite, the baby produces hormones that prevent the woman's next period from coming, the same hormones that cause a pregnancy test to turn positive (called 'human gonadotrophin hormone' or 'HCG'). In turn, the mother's blood stream starts to provide the baby with nourishment to continue to grow. Up until this time your baby has been nourished by glucose secreted from the lining of the fallopian tubes and uterus.
While implantation cannot usually be felt, some women experience a small amount of bleeding as their baby burrows into the thick lining of the uterus. An implantation bleed can be noticed around the time the woman's next period would have been due, often confusing this bleeding with having a menstrual period.
The changing blastocyst is like a ball, about 4mm in width. Inside the ball, your baby's cells clump together on one side, continuing to multiply and differentiate, then making a linear formation. This line up of cells creates a flat disc with 3 distinct layers, called the:
- Endoderm. This becomes your baby's internal organs (lungs, liver, bowel and bladder).
- Mesoderm. This becomes your baby's skull and bones, sex organs, muscles and heart.
- Ectoderm. This becomes your baby's skin, hair, eyes, ears, brain and spinal cord.
For many women, this amazing process is all happening undetected, because they do not realise they are pregnant yet (but a few might suspect it!).
Common symptoms to look out for
- A heightened sense of smell: This is a side effect of oestrogen, so if you find like every little fragrance around you has been magnified, this could be an early stage that your body is getting ready for a baby. This may cause morning sickness in the next few weeks, so you might want to think about switching to unscented toiletries.
- Abdominal pressure: Don’t worry, a feeling of pressure or even the feeling of period cramps without the bleeding is nothing to panic about. You might be feeling the sensation of embryo implantation, an increased blood flow to this area or even the thickening of your uterus. If you’re worried, we recommend you book an appointment with your GP.
- Metallic taste: A common side effect of pregnancy is a metallic taste, caused by the changing hormones in your body. These side effects will usually settle in second semester, although this can feel a long way away right now, so try sipping lemonade and other citrus juices to try and help.
- Up the protein
Your baby will need extra protein to help it grow, so try and make sure you get three servings of protein a day in these first few weeks.
- Make sure you’re getting enough calcium
It might seem obvious, but if you’re not getting enough calcium in your diet when you’re pregnant, your baby will start taking it from your bones! Now’s the time to up the intake – foods like Greek or frozen yoghurt will help, yet if you’re still struggling, it might be worth looking for a calcium supplement.
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